Christmas 2022: How to track Santa Claus with NORAD, Google

Thanks to Google and NORAD, you can know exactly where Santa Claus is, and where he is going.

NORAD's Santa Claus tracker presents a 3D view of Santa Claus, his sleigh and the reindeer pulling it. (Image credit: NORAD/ screenshot)

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Search engine giant Google is known for its festive proclivities and often adds Google Doodles and other features to celebrate festivals across the world so it only seems appropriate that the company has a “Santa tracker” to track father Christmas’s path in the sky. But did you know that NORAD—an agency tasked with warning against aerospace threats, including nukes—also has a Santa Claus tracker?

NORAD or the North American Aerospace Defense Command is a binational organisation that is responsible for aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Canada and the United States. According to NORAD, its tradition of tracking Santa goes all the way back to 1955 and was started by a predecessor organisation, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD).

In 1955, a young child accidentally dialled the phone number of the CONAD Operations Center after seeing a newspaper advertisement that told kids to call Santa. The Director of Operations for CONAD at the time, Harry Shoup, answered the phone and instructed staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.

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This led to the birth of a tradition where every year, NORAD reports Santa’s location on December 24. Since then, the organisation has set up a NORAD Tracks Santa website to allow children and adults across the globe to track Santa’s location.

“While the tradition of tracking Santa began purely by accident, NORAD continues to track Santa. We’re the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people to do it. And, we love it! NORAD is honoured to be Santa’s official tracker!,” says NORAD on its website.

Here is how you can use NORAD’s and Google’s Track Santa features.

How to use NORAD Tracks Santa

All you need to do to find out Santa’s location with NORAD’s help is to visit noradsanta.org. Once you visit the website, you will be greeted by a 3D simulation of Santa and his sleigh being pulled by reindeer across the globe. The tracker will also tell you Santa’s last location, his next destination, and the number of gifts he has delivered.

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Google’s Santa Tracker is not as advanced as NORAD’s but includes fun min-games for children. (Image credit: Google/ Screenshot)

How to use Google’s Santa Tracker

Google runs the most popular search engine in the world so it does not seem surprising that it can also track Santa despite not having the aerospace tracking capabilities of NORAD.

The most popular search engine in the world seems to know almost everything about everything so it is not surprising that it can track. To use Google’s Santa tracker, visit santatracker.google.com.

Unlike NORAD’s advanced tracker, Google’s Santa tracker only has a 2D tracking feature where an animated Santa and his sleigh make their way across the world. Google’s tracker also displays important stats like the distance travelled, gifts delivered and Santa’s next stop. But Google’s tracker website also comes with extra features like local guides for the location Santa visits and Christmas-themed mini-games for children.

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Christmas Eve